New Zealand Goalkeeper Glen Moss Coming To Terms With World Cup Ban
It is going to be a bitter-sweet summer for the shotstopper...

May 2, 2010 3:42:00 AM


New Zealand goalkeeper Glen Moss is coming to terms with the fact that he is going to miss the first two games of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Moss, who is also Melbourne Victory’s gloveman, is number one choice for the All Whites.

He is however, two games in to a four-match ban that he is serving for swearing at a referee during qualification.

Worse was the fact that a administrative bungle at the New Zealand FA meant that the ban wasn’t appealed when it would likely have been reduced in half.

Consequently, Moss will miss the Slovakia and Italy matches and can only play against Paraguay in the final Group F match. Mark Paston is likely to stand in.

At least Moss has been assured of a place in the final 23 by coach Ricki Herbert.

"Not everyone is going to be able to play, but it's all about being part of the squad, and coach Ricki Herbert wants team players and everyone on the same page," he said according to TVNZ.

"It will be an amazing experience just to be part of the World Cup and everyone will come away with something special."

Moss is trying not to dwell and what might have been and the events which led to his ban. Not only was the deadline for appeal missed, the match itself was a dead rubber.

"I've kind of moved on from that," he said. "It was pretty hard the way everything happened.

“But as I said, it's bigger than one person and I'm just going in like everyone else. I love being part of it."
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2010/05/02/1904689/world-cup-2010-new-zealand-goalkeeper-glen-moss-coming-to

Barely time for All Whites captain to catch his breath
By FRED WOODCOCK - The Dominion Post
Last updated 05:00 20/05/2010

When Ryan Nelsen says he can't wait to get on to the training pitch in Auckland this morning, it's not hard to believe him.

From travel to book signings to school visits to TV appearances and public speeches, the All Whites captain has barely stopped for breath during the past four days.

It started with a 1 1/2-hour drive from Minnesota in the United States, where he was with his wife's family, to Fargo, North Dakota. Here's the rest:

Flight from Fargo to Denver

Flight from Denver to Los Angeles

Flight from Los Angeles to Auckland

Flight from Auckland to Christchurch

Straight to his old primary school for a morning visit

Media, book signing, and more media in the afternoon

Q&A evening at Christchurch's AMI Stadium

Few hours of sleep

Media in the morning

Flight from Christchurch to Wellington

Media and in the afternoon

Public appearance at the Duxton Hotel at night

Few hours of sleep

Breakfast television interviews

Flight to Auckland

Medical tests at New Zealand Football

Book signing

Speech at launch of the NZ Football Foundation, of which he is the patron. After our chat, there's a live TV news cross and an appearance on a TV talkshow later in the evening.

"I can't wait," he said, still wearing a smile, when asked if he was looking forward to kicking a football around in the morning at the All Whites' first training session.

"But this has all been good, and quite enjoyable. It's eye-opening, actually, how much the public are getting behind us and how much interest there has been. It reinforces the resolve to do well because so many people are excited."

Meanwhile, Nelsen confirmed he was trying to get his English Premier League club Blackburn Rovers to play a pre-season match against the Phoenix in Wellington, but nobody should get their hopes up just yet.

"I have suggested it to the manager but it's a bit of a long-shot. We might be coming out to Sydney for a four-team tournament, but nothing has been confirmed. It's a long, long shot." Fred Woodcock

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/football/3716940/Barely-time-for-All-Whites-captain-to-catch-his-breath